Penny, my 13-year-old yellow lab, is nearing the end. She has lost half her weight, doesn’t eat much, and can only plod along in a slow shuffle. She doesn’t seem to be in any pain, but she is just a shadow of her old self.
The other night I had a dream about her. She looked the same but had her old energy and passion back. She flew through the grasses eagerly sniffing for pheasants as in the old days. Her tail wagged fiercely, and her eyes had the old sparkle. I couldn’t believe my eyes. She was new again. Then I woke up; it was only a dream.
I don’t know about dogs and heaven. The bible doesn’t really say anything about it either way. But I do know the bible promises that we will be new again – and it won’t be a dream. Revelation 21 describes the new heaven and the new earth that is to come. Listen to what it says:
“I heard a loud shout from the throne, saying, “Look, God’s home is now among his people! He will live with them, and they will be his people. God himself will be with them. He will wipe every tear from their eyes, and there will be no more death or sorrow or crying or pain. All these things are gone forever. And the one sitting on the throne said, “Look, I am making everything new!” – Revelation 21:3-5a
Right now we may have aches and pains and sorrow and tears, but new life is coming through Jesus Christ. As we finish Lent and hear again all that Jesus went through on his way to the cross, let’s remember that he went through it all so that we might have new life, eternal life, with him.
In Christ,
Pastor Mark